The Essence

Bah Humbug

Perhaps it was because the penning of this edition of The Essence began on “The Most Dreaded Day” of crafting its subject (refer to our January 2013 edition); perhaps it was because we just came through a U.S. election season whereby nary a positive word was spoken; perhaps because most financial journalists always see the “glass as half empty” (shouldn’t pay attention to them anyway!); perhaps because there’s extensive focus on the U.S. Federal Reserve’s (Fed’s) actions on short-term interest rates; or, just because many of the very best holiday movies start out with a depressing tale:

      >It’s a Wonderful Life” – George Bailey (played by actor Jimmy Stewart) runs a Savings & Loan.  Then there was a run on the bank caused by a misunderstanding of George’s uncle. “I wish I’d never been born!”  exclaims George. Poof!, an angel (Henry Travers) is sent to earth to make George’s wish come true. One sad tale after another is told about how the world (or at least Bedford Falls) would have evolved for the worse without George Bailey. It was heartbreaking.

      >The Wizard of Oz” – “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is sung by Dorothy (played by Judy Garland – the mother of Liza Minnelli, in case you didn’t know) about a place much better than her home in Kansas. Poof! and Dorothy gets transported (via her flying house) to the land of Oz. “Now I know we’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” she exclaimed as one bad adventure follows another. Some scarier than others, “oh, my!”

      > As defined by the Cambridge Dictionary, “Bah Humbug” is “…an expression used when someone does not approve of or enjoy something that other people enjoy …The expression was used [extensively] by the character Ebenezer Scrooge in the story ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens.” 

      Mr. Scrooge epitomizes how we felt. Even with the joy-filled holiday season upon us, with all the above, it was hard not to be in a Bah Humbug mood at the time of this writing.

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